Many different kinds of portfolios, display binders, books, and folders exist, which hereinafter will be referred to generally as folders. Some well known types include three ring binders, spiral-bound notebooks and clasped folders. These are used to retain individual sheets, usually of paper, so that they can viewed as if they were bound in a book. Sometimes clear envelopes are included to retain and protect flat items for later display or study. These retained items typically include warranties, magazine clippings, reports and graphs, certificates, legal documents, photographs and negatives, collectible stamps and any other flat items including pressed flowers or other organic samples, where clear, usually plastic, envelopes can provide safe storage and display. When relatively bulky items are to be stored and displayed, it is desirable to provide some sort of positive closure so that the display pages are protected by the relatively stiff outer binding.
When viewing what is stored within such a folder, it is troublesome to find which of the pages include what material. Therefore, some folders, especially of the three ring type include index pages, usually of a relatively stiff material that have a tab that sticks out which when inserted between pages can indicate what is in the next section of the folder.
It is desirable that means be provided with the folder or attachable to the folder so that the folder can be propped up near vertical on a horizontal surface allowing display of the materials there within to a group or causal passers by.
The present invention includes a display folder with plurality of transparent display envelopes. It is preferable that the envelopes include an edge portion connected to the cover of the folder, a bottom side usually completely closed or sealed, an open top which may have a protective flap and an outer side with a plurality of slits formed therein. The slits may be an odd or even number, but when the slits are greater than four in number, even numbers of slits are preferred as such minimize the number of different index card that need be furnished. These index cards are formed to fit snugly within the envelopes, but have at least one cutaway inner corner on the opposite side from their tab to make insertion of the index card into an envelope easy. The index cards include index tabs positioned on a side edge to slip through a slit to provide an index tab for the envelope. When three silts are used in the various envelopes, pluralities of two or three separately formed index cards are provided, usually in the back of the folder when it is sold where multiple index cards can be stored in the back envelope. When four slits are provided in each envelope, pluralities of two different index cards can be formed for insertion through the slits while when six slits are provided in each envelope, pluralities of three different index cards can be formed for insertion through the slits.
As part of the outer cover of the folder, a relatively stiff outer spine reinforcement is include having an elastic cord connected near its top and bottom so that the cord can be looped around the folder spaced from the spine to retain the folder in a closed position. The upper portion of reinforcement may be permanently attached at the spine and slidably retained to the opposite covers by double buttons and slots whereas the lower portion, beneath a fold is retained by flexible ribbons. When the covers are moved apart, the elastic cord forces the lower portion outwardly until further motion is restrained by the ribbons to form a support for the folder. Thus the support automatically deploys when the folder is opened.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a light and economical indexed folder with an automatically deploying support for display of materials, which increases the utility of the folder, especially those equipped with transparent envelopes for the display of information on sheets that need to be indexed directly and held flat.
Another object is to provide a versatile display system for a folder or binder where the elastic cord for deploying the support also acts to retain the folder is a secure closed position.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the following detailed specification and drawings wherein: